Students hold presidential mock election

The Sociology Guild, an academic organization in MMSU, sponsored a series of activities on political education and election volunteerism during the Sociology Week, Sept. 7-10.

With the theme, “Agtutubo: Preparing the thumb for the stains of politics”, the weeklong affair engaged the students on issues surrounding political education and election volunteerism in light of the national struggle for emancipation from traditional politics, transactional leadership, and morally-bereft governance.

The activities kicked off on Sept. 8 with the opening of an art-exhibit-cum-election-precinct at the CAS Lobby. In the exhibit area, a presidential mock election was also held to feel the pulse of MMSU students on their preferred presidential candidates for the 2010 elections.

Immediately after the precincts closed on Sept. 9, 3 p.m., the ballots were appreciated by student volunteers, and the results were analyzed by Social Sciences faculty members.

A total of 1,524 students, representing 23.7 percent of the tertiary-level populace in the Batac campus, participated in the poll.

Sen. Francis Escudero, the youngest among the presidentiables, garnered 33.72 percent of the votes, and emerged on top, ranking first in all colleges. Sen. Manny Villar took the second spot with 21.12 percent while Sen. Noynoy Aquino got 17.25 percent and landed third.

With 11.74 percent of the votes, Vice President Noli de Castro was in fourth place with Sen. Loren Legarda and former President Joseph Estrada settling for fifth (7.74 percent) and sixth (4.79 percent) places, respectively.

Dr. Violeta B. Alonzo, chair of the Social Sciences Department, hopes to have the mock polls periodically, with the next one eyed after Nov. 30, the deadline for filing of certificate of candidacy for the presidency. Dr. Joselito L. Lolinco, CAS dean, has thrown his full support for the undertaking.

Other activities include “The 2009 Sociology Forum” held Sept. 10 at the University Training Center, and a roundtable discussion at the CAS Lobby. Speakers, led by Trinity University of Asia professors Ruel F. Pepa and Glenn Agbing, and Ilocos Times columnist Steve Barreiro, tackled the national and local political climates, and how the youth can help institute reforms.

A film show featuring “Batas Militar,” a documentary on the imposition of martial law during the Marcos era was held Sept. 11, the birthday of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos.

ABS-CBN featured the activities in their regional news program TV Patrol Ilocos, and might air it in their nationwide broadcast as well. The media giant took interest in the MMSU mock election because it appears to be the first school-based poll conducted in view of the 2010 national and local elections.

Representative of other schools have called up the MMSU organizers so they can replicate the mock polls in their own constituencies.

MMSU students have been invited by ABS-CBN to participate in the Boto Mo, iPatrol Mo registration to be held at the Laoag City Ampitheatre, Sept. 21. An online voter registration will also be administered by the Commission on Election in the venue.

Boto mo, iPatrol Mo aims to empower the youth to help ensure clean and honest elections.

32 thoughts on “Students hold presidential mock election”

Nice activity, sir! Saan po kayo nakakuha ng idea about that mock polls? Napanood ko po ito sa local newscast. However, I just arrived in our home when it was airing and malapit nang matapos. Sayang naman I didn’t watch the whole report.

Hello, Guien. Our phones were very busy yesterday, many agencies were asking for results. A staff member of Escudero even came to MMSU. Some schools sought advice, and said they are going to do the same.

You see, there is this burning desire for young people to participate in pushing for change in our sociopolitical spheres. We just thought of affording them a window of opportunity to do so. What is important though is not just to look at the personalities, but the issues these candidates espouse.

It seems that the upcoming 2010 polls is a youth-oriented election, unlike the past elections. Now, many students are being urged to register for the elections. Organizations about such are touring the universities and colleges, such as YouthVotePhilippines, Register and Vote (RV) bus, etc. ABS-CBN is even promoting citizen journalism through its Boto Mo, iPatrol Mo program.

But just an idea: how about if some youth voters will consider the national polls as a joke? I mean, hindi po yung mga kandidato ang inilagay sa balota, instead they put Mabini, Rizal, Aguinaldo, et. al, or even silly names. During the CSC elections in a certain college, naobserve ko po na may mga estudyante na inilagay na lang ang kanilang balota sa ballot box na wala namang nakasulat na pangalan ng candidate, o di kaya kung anu-anong pangalan na lang ang inilalagay. I hope there would be no case of such in the 2010 elections.

a very promising and timely activity of the Sociology Department. Kudos to all organizers and participants!
this activity is an eye-opener to the voting population specially to the newly registered voters. in this activity, the youth were given an insight of the voting atmosphere and hopefully an idea of what really is the significance of voting to the rehabilitation of the country.

there are so many things that can be commented here but i will choose only one. i will comment on the result of the mock poll elections. im very glad about the result . because in choosing a candidate for president, I would consider a younger presidential candidate relative to older candidates. Usually the older ones are the traditional politicians which normally is into the likelihood of corruption and personal aggrandizement would be their personal goals when in office. Escudero would epitomize the young sector although unfortunately, he will be the voice of the youth. Villar on the second post should not be on the top but in the bottom. This is Philippine politics at its traditional system, “that the more money a politician has, he is looked upon by many as powerful and likely to win”. This is a sad political condition since most likely, these same candidates will again be using money to woe the voters and will charge the bribery to the financial coffers of the government.
This is really unfortunate since Philippine politics at present is a show of money and vote buying is the game everybody play. The “boto mo ipatrol mo “ could be a neutralizer if and only when the group would be apolitical, non-partisan and non sectarian.

i think the 2010 elections will become youth oriented elections. some youths like me are argued to register for the upcoming elections. for us youths, we would like to have a clean voting process to the upcoming 2010 elections not being force to vote for some candidates that are not qualify to the position and not also qualify to serve our country.

Senator Chiz Escudero win the election on that day..but you see chiz is not qualified to be the president if we hold an election nowadays, its because he’s so young but on the other side he’s the only senator who speaks filipino in public..
the idea of having a molk election on socio week is a brilliant idea…by this said event, we were able to express our own opinion or to tell what we really want to…and we did because we were able to present our posters to the students, professors and other MMSU employees and even the press. thanks to SOCIO dept.

but still mas maganda pa rin ung mga hindi “trapo” because of the fact that they are still young in the field of politics and corruption is not still in their minds(i think/sana nga). gagawa sila ng maganda para sa bansa. . but maybe kapag naging “trapo” na sila then ayon magcocorupt na sila para mabawi na nila ang mga perang nagastos nila during the election. ganyan lang naman tlga ang buhay sa politika.(^_^)
i just hope na sana hindi maging ganon si CHiz. para naman gumanda na ang ekonomiya ng Pilipinas at para naman hindi na maubos ang pera ng mga tao dahil sa mga corrupt na politiko.
so for me, as part of the youth, we need a change. a change that will make the philippines move up to a higher step. a change that will erase the image of the philippines as one of the most corrupt country in the world. a change that will make our life easier. . . .

I myself agree to the statement of our national hero Jose Rizal, “Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan”. The youth as we can see today, is divided into two. One is where the youth thrives to live by Rizal’s words. They are the youngsters who are socially responsible and are mature enough to seek for the world’s betterment. There are the youth as seen by the national hero, the future hope of the country. The other group of youth are those who take everything for granted. Youth who thinks like kids, youth who thinks life is easy and everything’s just a game. There are many of them who are like these in the society today. Children who don’t have any clear vision of what’s beyond the horizon, clueless of the future, and whose axis’ revolves around themselves and their so called world. The youth really are the future. All that is needed is motivation and eye opener of what’s happening. The youth can be the best vehicles for the futures betterment, they just need are good drivers. Living by Rizal’s words, every youth can be modern day heroes. ت
تAshmiraت

—-This kind of Activity is a great idea.
I was one who vote in this mock election,, and you know what? I feel nervous on that time; I don’t know what I will write on the ballot. I choose randomly. A choice which I don’t think if I’m sure…
Ganun pala ang feeling kung hindi ka sure sa ibinoboto mo. Kaya maganda ang mock election na yun dahil nagkaroon ako ng ideya kung sino ang dapat kung iboto at dun makakasirado ako na makakatulong.

Sen. Chiz Escudero win the mock election, but sen. chiz did not qualified in the President position, because he did not yet prove his self in making a law.
pero may karapatan siyang tumakbo sa 2010 presidential election.

Preparing the youth for the nation is really a key for the development & change in the society. It is also great to prepare and guide the youth to the election for choosing who is best and what is best and is qualified to take the positions in our government.
Maganda ang Mock election na ito lalo na sa mga ist time na mga botante upang matuto kung paano ang pagboto. maganda rin ito dahil sa aktibidad na ito ay maari mong isulat sa isang bulletin board kung ano ang comento at palagay mo sa naganap na mock election..,.,mabuti rin kung uulitin pa ito

i really appreciate the activity because i will make a model to our country that there’s a time in our country we have a fair and good election all we can do is do what you think can make it better don’t influence to the money and people around you if you think that is the best candidate that’s it…never depend your vote to the survey that they gathered stick to your self….